Author: Anthony Silva Grade Level: 8th Grade Course: General Science
Purpose of Unit
The purpose of the Unit " The Changing Earth" is to get the students to understand that many changes in the Earth are caused by the movement of tectonic plates. Some of these changes include the formation of mountains, volcanoes and oceanic ridges. The students are to understand how the plates move, and the importance and consequences of these moving plates. Natural Disasters due to these plate movements and discrepancies under the Earth's crust will be covered in this unit. Another topic that will be tackled throughout this unit will be how rocks and fossils can be used to tell Geological time. Using these fossil records will be important for the students being able to tell how the Earth's continents have moved throughout the existence of our planet. The students will be learning about the different layers of the Earth's Surface and how this allows the earth to be a successful planet for Human Life. A major part of the changing earth which is extremely important is the current situation of Global Warming. This topic will be used to really show the students on how the changing earth may someday effect not only their lives but the lives of their future relatives as well.
All of these topics will be linked to how the Earth is continuously changing even today. This unit will have students practicing to improve there investigating and inquiry skills. Students will be doing labs periodically throughout this lesson, but they will often times be asked a challenge question which will force them to take what they have learned in the lesson or lab and apply it to something in everyday life. Using the Earth as a unit has unlimited possibilities and the students will be learning a lot of information which will help them better understand the world around them.
Learning Performances and Standards
GSE's covered for 8th grade Science: ESS 1 - The Earth and earth minerals as we know them today have developed over a long period of time, through continual change processes.
ESS 1 (5-8) INQ+POC -1 - Use Geological evidence provided to support the idea that the Earths crust/lithosphere is composed of plates that move 1a- Identifying and describing the layers of the earth. 1a- Citing evidence and devising a logical argument for plate movement using fossil evidence, layers of sedimentary rock, locations of minerals deposits, and shape of continents.
Student Misconceptions- Some misconceptions which the students may have is that the world has always been split up into the continents which they are in now, and that there never was a large super continent named Pangea. Another misconception which the students may have is that the Earth's crust is just one large plate. Another misconception may be that the entire earth is solid and that the different layers are not necessarily more or less dense than the other layers.Misconceptions may also include that the Earths fossils are different between all of the continents, and this may not be true due to continental drift. Also students may believe that the layout of the land is permanent and this will be cleared up when the students create a geological time line including faults and intrusions.
ESS1 (5-8) POC-3 - Explain how Earth events ( over time and abruptly) can bring about changes in the Earths surface: landforms, ocean floor, rock features, or climate. 3a- Describing events and the effect they have on the climate (ex El Nino, deforestation, glacier melting, and increase in greenhouse gases). 3a- Evaluating slow processes ( weathering, erosion, mountain building, sea floor spreading) to determine how the Earth has changed and will continue to change over time. 3b- Evaluating fast processes ( erosion, volcanoes and earthquakes) to determine how the Earth has changed and will continue to change over time.
Student Misconceptions- Misconceptions students may have are that Volcanoes and Earthquakes can occur anywhere in the world. Also they will have misconceptions about how sea floor spreading occurs and what happens to the old crust when new crust is created. Students may also not know the effects a volcano can have on the earth. This may lead to the discussion of global warming which they may not even know exists, or feel that it is a serious issue in science.
In the unit The Changing Earth, there is a balance of both formative and summative assessment. The objectives for each lesson are clearly stated and will be used as guidelines on how the students will be assessed that day in class. The objectives match up with the GSE's for Earth science for grades 5-8. The goal of this unit is to clear up any misconceptions which students have on Plate tectonics, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, as well as Global warming.
Some examples of formative assessment for this unit will be the two lessons where the students will be copying notes from the overhead. The students will be completing questions on this note sheet throughout the class, and also will be following along in a teacher guided discussion. For homework on these two days the students will be receiving 4 homework questions which will be collected the next day in class. The teacher can use these homeworks as a chance to see if the students are understanding the material on both plate tectonics, as well as faults and earthquakes. Another chance for formative assessment will be during the lesson on global warming where the students are taking notes on the articles and the lesson on the layers of the earth where the students will be taking notes during a jigsaw activity. The teacher can check these students note sheets to be sure that they are grasping the concept of the activities.
There will be two summative assessments during this unit. The first assessment will be the students projects on Global warming. The students will be working on these projects with their partners throughout the unit. They will have a 2-3 page essay as well as a visual that they will use during their 3-5 minute presentation to the class. This project will be an excellent chance for the students to share their knowledge about global warming. The other summative assessment will be the unit test. The students will be asked questions based on the material which they learned throughout the unit. Each lesson will be represented on the unit test, and the test will be set up to mirror what the NECAP test looks like.
Student artifacts will be in abundance for this unit. The students will have their visual for their global warming project as well as their 2-3 page essay on global warming. The students will also have a volcano which they have built and labeled for one of the labs. Another artifact will be the students geological time line which they have created. Also the students will have a essay on Wegeners theory which discusses continental drift. Overall this unit has a great balance of lessons and activities which should be attractive to all types of learners. It is important to diversify teaching styles with in the unit this way all students have a chance to learn as well as to succeed.
Rationale
The lesson sequence of this unit was planned out to enhance the students understanding of the topic the changing earth as well as give the students a fair amount of time to have on their inquiry project. The students open off the unit with a lesson on global warming, this is important because global warming is going to be the topic for the students inquiry project. The students get a chance to learn about global warming the first day of the lesson and hopefully clear up some of the misconceptions which the students may have. The next few lessons the students will be learning about the layers of the earth as well as plate tectonics, which are a crucial part to the changing earth. It is important that they students understand these concepts before they can master the concepts of how volcanoes and earthquakes are created. On Friday of the first week is when the students will be receiving their inquiry project requirements. This gives the students over a week to create a 2-3 page essay as well as a visual which they will use during their 3-5 minute presentation on global warming.
The next week will be used to teach the students about earthquakes and volcanoes. The students will be receiving notes as well as completing labs and other hands on projects throughout this week. The final week of the unit will be 2 days of the students presenting their projects, one day for a review of the test, and then the all important unit test. Hopefully after all of the hands on assignments combined with the notes received in class will allow the students to succeed on the unit test.
This unit will be meaningful to the students because as they learn they will constantly being asked to respond to how the assignment effects their lives. Whether it be in the students exit slips as they leave the class or in the teacher - student discussion throughout the class. They will constantly be reflecting on the importance of the topics. Another reason this topic will be meaningful to the students is because of the inquiry project. The students will learn the importance of global warming and how it is effecting our lives as we speak. The students will learn that if we don't make a change soon then the world is in serious trouble down the road. Changes in human society need to be made now to help create a better earth for not only our children and grandchildren, but for their children and grandchildren as well.
Students are going to be constantly assessed in various ways throughout this lesson. This unit will be geared towards all kinds of learners, whether they be visual, linguistic, tactile or auditory learners, they will all be accounted for throughout the unit. Giving all students a chance to succeed throughout unit is the best way to motivate learning. If the students enjoy the lessons which they are partaking in then they are more likely to give a stronger effort and in return take in more of the material.
Overall this Unit will be teaching the students how important the Earth is to the success of human life. Students will walk away from this unit being more knowledgeable about the world around them and how it effects their lives. Hopefully after the inquiry assignment on global warming students will understand the importance of recycling and many other techniques which will help preserve our planet. Also students will be learning about natural disasters as well as current disasters which have occurred due to plate tectonics. This experience is another way which students will understand the importance of the changing earth. The goal of the unit is for students to not only understand that the Earth has changed in the past, but that the Earth is continuously changing as we speak, and that some of these changes can be harmful to human life.
Title: The Changing Earth
Author: Anthony Silva
Grade Level: 8th Grade
Course: General Science
Purpose of Unit
The purpose of the Unit " The Changing Earth" is to get the students to understand that many changes in the Earth are caused by the movement of tectonic plates. Some of these changes include the formation of mountains, volcanoes and oceanic ridges. The students are to understand how the plates move, and the importance and consequences of these moving plates. Natural Disasters due to these plate movements and discrepancies under the Earth's crust will be covered in this unit. Another topic that will be tackled throughout this unit will be how rocks and fossils can be used to tell Geological time. Using these fossil records will be important for the students being able to tell how the Earth's continents have moved throughout the existence of our planet. The students will be learning about the different layers of the Earth's Surface and how this allows the earth to be a successful planet for Human Life. A major part of the changing earth which is extremely important is the current situation of Global Warming. This topic will be used to really show the students on how the changing earth may someday effect not only their lives but the lives of their future relatives as well.All of these topics will be linked to how the Earth is continuously changing even today. This unit will have students practicing to improve there investigating and inquiry skills. Students will be doing labs periodically throughout this lesson, but they will often times be asked a challenge question which will force them to take what they have learned in the lesson or lab and apply it to something in everyday life. Using the Earth as a unit has unlimited possibilities and the students will be learning a lot of information which will help them better understand the world around them.
Learning Performances and Standards
GSE's covered for 8th grade Science:ESS 1 - The Earth and earth minerals as we know them today have developed over a long period of time, through continual change processes.
ESS 1 (5-8) INQ+POC -1 - Use Geological evidence provided to support the idea that the Earths crust/lithosphere is composed of plates that move
1a- Identifying and describing the layers of the earth.
1a- Citing evidence and devising a logical argument for plate movement using fossil evidence, layers of sedimentary rock, locations of minerals deposits, and shape of continents.
Student Misconceptions- Some misconceptions which the students may have is that the world has always been split up into the continents which they are in now, and that there never was a large super continent named Pangea. Another misconception which the students may have is that the Earth's crust is just one large plate. Another misconception may be that the entire earth is solid and that the different layers are not necessarily more or less dense than the other layers. Misconceptions may also include that the Earths fossils are different between all of the continents, and this may not be true due to continental drift. Also students may believe that the layout of the land is permanent and this will be cleared up when the students create a geological time line including faults and intrusions.
ESS1 (5-8) POC-3 - Explain how Earth events ( over time and abruptly) can bring about changes in the Earths surface: landforms, ocean floor, rock features, or climate.
3a- Describing events and the effect they have on the climate (ex El Nino, deforestation, glacier melting, and increase in greenhouse gases).
3a- Evaluating slow processes ( weathering, erosion, mountain building, sea floor spreading) to determine how the Earth has changed and will continue to change over time.
3b- Evaluating fast processes ( erosion, volcanoes and earthquakes) to determine how the Earth has changed and will continue to change over time.
Student Misconceptions- Misconceptions students may have are that Volcanoes and Earthquakes can occur anywhere in the world. Also they will have misconceptions about how sea floor spreading occurs and what happens to the old crust when new crust is created. Students may also not know the effects a volcano can have on the earth. This may lead to the discussion of global warming which they may not even know exists, or feel that it is a serious issue in science.
Objectives for Each Lesson AS08
Outline, Concept Map, or other Graphical Representation of the Concepts Addressed in the Unit
Concept Map The Changing EarthLesson Sequence
Assessment Plan
In the unit The Changing Earth, there is a balance of both formative and summative assessment. The objectives for each lesson are clearly stated and will be used as guidelines on how the students will be assessed that day in class. The objectives match up with the GSE's for Earth science for grades 5-8. The goal of this unit is to clear up any misconceptions which students have on Plate tectonics, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, as well as Global warming.Some examples of formative assessment for this unit will be the two lessons where the students will be copying notes from the overhead. The students will be completing questions on this note sheet throughout the class, and also will be following along in a teacher guided discussion. For homework on these two days the students will be receiving 4 homework questions which will be collected the next day in class. The teacher can use these homeworks as a chance to see if the students are understanding the material on both plate tectonics, as well as faults and earthquakes. Another chance for formative assessment will be during the lesson on global warming where the students are taking notes on the articles and the lesson on the layers of the earth where the students will be taking notes during a jigsaw activity. The teacher can check these students note sheets to be sure that they are grasping the concept of the activities.
There will be two summative assessments during this unit. The first assessment will be the students projects on Global warming. The students will be working on these projects with their partners throughout the unit. They will have a 2-3 page essay as well as a visual that they will use during their 3-5 minute presentation to the class. This project will be an excellent chance for the students to share their knowledge about global warming. The other summative assessment will be the unit test. The students will be asked questions based on the material which they learned throughout the unit. Each lesson will be represented on the unit test, and the test will be set up to mirror what the NECAP test looks like.
Student artifacts will be in abundance for this unit. The students will have their visual for their global warming project as well as their 2-3 page essay on global warming. The students will also have a volcano which they have built and labeled for one of the labs. Another artifact will be the students geological time line which they have created. Also the students will have a essay on Wegeners theory which discusses continental drift. Overall this unit has a great balance of lessons and activities which should be attractive to all types of learners. It is important to diversify teaching styles with in the unit this way all students have a chance to learn as well as to succeed.
Rationale
The lesson sequence of this unit was planned out to enhance the students understanding of the topic the changing earth as well as give the students a fair amount of time to have on their inquiry project. The students open off the unit with a lesson on global warming, this is important because global warming is going to be the topic for the students inquiry project. The students get a chance to learn about global warming the first day of the lesson and hopefully clear up some of the misconceptions which the students may have. The next few lessons the students will be learning about the layers of the earth as well as plate tectonics, which are a crucial part to the changing earth. It is important that they students understand these concepts before they can master the concepts of how volcanoes and earthquakes are created. On Friday of the first week is when the students will be receiving their inquiry project requirements. This gives the students over a week to create a 2-3 page essay as well as a visual which they will use during their 3-5 minute presentation on global warming.The next week will be used to teach the students about earthquakes and volcanoes. The students will be receiving notes as well as completing labs and other hands on projects throughout this week. The final week of the unit will be 2 days of the students presenting their projects, one day for a review of the test, and then the all important unit test. Hopefully after all of the hands on assignments combined with the notes received in class will allow the students to succeed on the unit test.
This unit will be meaningful to the students because as they learn they will constantly being asked to respond to how the assignment effects their lives. Whether it be in the students exit slips as they leave the class or in the teacher - student discussion throughout the class. They will constantly be reflecting on the importance of the topics. Another reason this topic will be meaningful to the students is because of the inquiry project. The students will learn the importance of global warming and how it is effecting our lives as we speak. The students will learn that if we don't make a change soon then the world is in serious trouble down the road. Changes in human society need to be made now to help create a better earth for not only our children and grandchildren, but for their children and grandchildren as well.
Students are going to be constantly assessed in various ways throughout this lesson. This unit will be geared towards all kinds of learners, whether they be visual, linguistic, tactile or auditory learners, they will all be accounted for throughout the unit. Giving all students a chance to succeed throughout unit is the best way to motivate learning. If the students enjoy the lessons which they are partaking in then they are more likely to give a stronger effort and in return take in more of the material.
Overall this Unit will be teaching the students how important the Earth is to the success of human life. Students will walk away from this unit being more knowledgeable about the world around them and how it effects their lives. Hopefully after the inquiry assignment on global warming students will understand the importance of recycling and many other techniques which will help preserve our planet. Also students will be learning about natural disasters as well as current disasters which have occurred due to plate tectonics. This experience is another way which students will understand the importance of the changing earth. The goal of the unit is for students to not only understand that the Earth has changed in the past, but that the Earth is continuously changing as we speak, and that some of these changes can be harmful to human life.
EDC 430 F08 Unit Plan Eval - Anthony D